Rolling out the rad carpet: How two sisters have collaborated on a collection of psychedelic rug designs September 27, 2016 When sisters Amy and Lucy Kent decided to collaborate on a series of eleven rugs, the result was something unexpectedly beautiful, a “greater than the sum of its parts” deal that merged Amy’s bespoke rug making business with Lucy’s abstract painting. “Painterly designs are becoming increasingly popular,” explains Amy, “and I knew that Lucy’s abstracts [...]
How boutique architects Russian For Fish turned a damp terrace into a spectacular modern home September 27, 2016 This property in Kensal Green had been empty for a while when we were approached to work on it, and it was looking a bit sad. The couple that had bought it were both graphic designers and they had very specific ideas about what they wanted out of the renovation. The property was very typical [...]
Ferrari GTC4Lusso review: The four-seater is now even more likely to scare its three passengers witless September 26, 2016 If you own a Ferrari, you sometimes get sick of driving. Turn up to a birthday party or a barbeque and you literally have to spend hours giving people joyrides, one by one, when you’d rather be eating burgers. Or trying to fully savour the jealousy of your ex, who’s now married to a Hyundai-driving [...]
This Victorian home was turned into a House of the Year contender by two enterprising engineers September 26, 2016 When Tim Lucas searched for a family-size property under £500,000 on his local estate agents’ website, he was offered a crumbling collection of stables that hadn’t seen a horse since Queen Victoria was on the throne. This was London after all, what did he expect for that money? Most househunters would have shrugged their shoulders [...]
Dubai loves an engineering challenge and the new Burj Al Arab sea terrace is up there with the biggest September 26, 2016 As engineering feats go, one that is half the weight of the Eiffel Tower and slightly larger than the size of a football pitch is pretty significant. Add the fact that the brief was to create an ultra-luxe, environmentally sensitive terrace extension to the 7-star hotel Burj Al Arab, whilst it remained open, and you [...]
The glorious bus stops of the former USSR, as shot by photographer Peter Ortner September 26, 2016 Even in the often stifling artistic conditions that existed in the outer reaches of the Soviet Union, creativity found a way. While Soviet architects experimented with startling modernist buildings in Mother Russia, the outposts largely had to settle for endlessly repeating brutalist tower-blocks, each one as punishingly grey as the last. Municipal buildings – and [...]
Julius Shulman: the photographer who helped to define LA September 26, 2016 Many architects have made their mark on a place, planting seeds of creation that go on to define a street or neighbourhood. A select few become synonymous with a certain style, or even an entire city. But not many shape the way people think about an entire state; Julius Shulman achieved just that without designing [...]
Forget houses, why not live in the world’s most expensive van, or up a tree, or under the ocean? September 26, 2016 People are always nattering on about “the property market” and “having a roof over your head” and “why have you not been paying the mortgage?” But do we really need houses? Could we just go and live, say, at the bottom of the ocean, or in a cave, or maybe just in the back of [...]
Long Weekend review: Stunning architecture and peerless service make Budapest a serious rival to more famous European cities September 23, 2016 The city: It’s not difficult to see why the so-called Paris of the East draws favourable comparisons with more famous capital cities. It has the majestic architecture, such as the stately parliament buildings and Buda Castle, skirting a suitably imposing river, but also a faded grandeur bestowed by its array of elegantly decayed public baths [...]
Cradle baby alligators and zoom along the Everglades in a weird boat – it’s Florida baby! September 23, 2016 F lorida has a fearsome reputation for hurricanes, alligators and hanging chads, but in this vast sea of crazy, there is an island of tranquility. Its name is Fort Lauderdale. Long established as a place to go for fun in the sun, with a long sandy beach, the wild beauty of the Everglades, and easy [...]
